Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the successful execution of the "Çengel-3" operations, revealing the confiscation of approximately 1 million liters of smuggled fuel in a simultaneous crackdown across 46 provinces throughout the country. Yerlikaya shared this information on Thursday via his social media platform.
These extensive operations were conducted under the coordinated efforts of the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Directorate of the General Directorate of Security. The actions involved the active participation of anti-smuggling crime branch offices from provincial police directorates and the Revenue Administration, spanning provinces such as Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.
The primary objective of this large-scale operation was to prevent environmental degradation caused by the illegal distribution of fuel and to dismantle the illicit activities of criminal syndicates.
According to Yerlikaya, a total of 278 locations were searched during the operations, resulting in significant seizures and actions taken.
"Approximately 1 million liters of smuggled fuel, valued at around TL 38 million ($1.31 million), were confiscated. Legal measures were initiated against 91 individuals, while administrative actions were undertaken against 43 individuals, amounting to a total of TL 20 million in administrative fines."
Yerlikaya also highlighted the participation of provincial units of the Revenue Administration, which contributed to the successful operation. Through joint assessment with the Revenue Administration, the operations prevented a tax loss estimated at around TL 13 million.
Commending the dedicated efforts of the law enforcement officers and Revenue Administration employees involved in the operations, Minister Yerlikaya affirmed the government's ongoing commitment to combat smuggling and counterfeit activities nationwide.
He emphasized the intention to intensify and sustain such counter-operations to curb illegal activities throughout the country.
